In 1456, Johannes Gutenberg printed a complete edition of the Christian Bible using a printing press thus starting the age of printing. Within only a few years, Gutenberg’s technology sprang up much quickly to countries such as Italy, England, the Netherlands, and his own home country—Germany. The development of printing initiated revolutionary changes that would change all of Europe. Such changes included an era of mass production of books.
Then, as the availability and number of books increased, more people learned to read and write. However, the new printing press also contributed to the religious turmoil. As reading and writing became more common, many more Christians could already read the Bible.
As a result, the ideas of religious reformers spread faster and to a larger audience than ever was, and the movement known as the Protestant Reformation would unleash forces that would shatter Christian unity in Europe.